An Affair with the Phantom
by deborahisrael
Summary: A young woman falls in love with the Phantom


He lives forever.

Walking around this earth endlessly while we live short lives. He has an everlasting spirit. He is always there and will always be there until the Earth is gone.

He and I met at the Opera Populaire, and I was his love.

Let's start at the beginning.

I was understudy working with Christine Daae. One night, as I was helping Christine with her makeup, a man appeared in the room. I was young, only 18, while Christine was in her late 40s.

"A young one," the man said while examining me, his voice echoing throughout the room.

I was shaking in fear. His voice was beautiful, but overpowering, his face frightened me. Christine motioned for me to leave. As I started scurrying for the door, the man spoke again.

"Wait, little one," he asserted. "Who is this young girl?"

"This is Michelle Ackart. She's a lovely soprano training under me. She really should be leaving now, she must get in costume," Christine responded.

The mysterious man walked towards me, grabbed my hand and kissed it. "Very nice to meet you, Mademoiselle Ackart."

I curtsied and left the room as quickly as I could.

While rushing away, I ran into Meg, Christine's best friend. "Michelle, what are you doing? Your face is pale... your skin is so cold. Did you see... him?"

My heart skipped a beat. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"The Phantom of the Opera, of course. You haven't heard the story?" she asked.

"I'm afraid I haven't," I answered.

"Come with me."

She grabbed my wrist and pulled me into one of the many corridors of the Opera house. She told me the whole story. How he was disfigured at birth, fell in love with Christine and even burned down the Opera house.

"Luckily, we had it rebuilt, but nothing has been the same since Christine wed the Viscount," Meg finished. "We fear he will attack again every day."

I took a deep breath. "So what is the Phantom?"

"We are not sure. We think he may be a man, but he is very tricky. He is a god in some ways, always living, seemingly forever young," she responded. "But he is far too sinister to be a god. Now, we must go. We have a show to put on."

I rushed to my dressing room, put on my costume, my makeup and did my hair. I sat backstage, nervous. Christine then came up behind me.

"The Phantom enjoyed your company. He has decided to make you his new student," she uttered. "You are very lucky."

"What is the Phantom?" I asked, curious.

"He is a spirit, living forever," she replied. "Be cautious. He can become malicious."

I nodded. My heart was pounding so hard that I could feel it in my throat. So, he would be teaching me? Would he come into my room, stalk me? Would he appear in my dreams?

We performed the Opera, I did my part. Afterwards, I sat backstage, watching the people kissing and drinking and dancing. Christine grabbed my wrist. _Why must everyone pull me around? _I thought to myself.

"You must come with me, we must meet the Phantom," she said purposefully.

I followed down a long, winding staircase. The walls seemed to drip and everything was so dark and dismal. Soon, we were walking through the water. The water got deeper and deeper until it was around my waist.

"Where are we going?" I pleaded.

"His cave."

There he was. The Phantom.

"Bring her here," he commanded, his voice booming through the cave.

I could hardly catch my breath. There were candles everywhere and there was an enormous organ creeping all over the walls.

"Hello, Monsieur," I spoke, my voice hardly reaching the air in front of me.

"Christine, go back to your husband," the Phantom demanded.

Christine tried to protest, but the Phantom simply shooed her away.

"Why do you treat her like that? I thought you used to love her?" I questioned.

"I did, but she betrayed me," he announced.

He walked into the water and grabbed my hand. He lead me out of the water, onto land, next to the organ. He put his hands on me and began singing.

I was enchanted by his voice. I was putty in his hands when he sang. If he wanted me to sing, I would gladly do so, just to hear his beautiful voice again. His hands were touching my waist, my hips, my back.

"You are angelic," the Phantom whispered. "I've been watching you for a long time."

I took a deep breath and touched his face.

He turned away, and began singing again. I was singing back to him. He started playing the organ and I continued singing.

It was very late at night when he took me back to my room. I knew that, to him, I was something special.


End file.
